Many of us look at improving ourselves, changing for the better, and chasing that next level of success. Perhaps these are short-lived times in our lives and not a constant pursuit. However, if you are Steve Stanulis, former dancer, NYPD, and bodyguard, you’ve understood that success requires constant energy and focus, continuous transformation, a willingness to fail, and above all, the relentless pursuit of success. Steve moved on from his early career to become an actor, director, producer, and eventually executive producer of films with Oscar-nomination class talent. How did it do it? He never gives up and is also looking for and creating opportunities for himself and his investors. Here is his inspiring story.

A native New Yorker, Steve was born in Staten Island, New York, went to New Dorp High School, and graduated from Wagner College. As a foreshadowing of his later career, he started his performing arts journey as a Chippendales and Hunk-O-Mania dancer. During this time, he was looking for a higher cause and decided he wanted a career in public service and joined the NYPD. During his tenure with the police, and after an injury forced him to retire from the role, he rediscovered his passion for the performance arts, this time in a different capacity – he dreamt of becoming an actor and director. The law enforcement career-ending event catalyzed his next transformation and helped him return to his original dream. He started his show titled “Savage Men,” inspired by his stage name, “Steve Savage.”

How do you create an environment that nurtures and supports your dreams and further transformation? You surround yourself with people already successful in the industry in which you wish to excel; you watch, listen, and learn, and when you do so, opportunities arise. You snatch up the best ones, and that’s how Steve created his initial success and his next transformation. Steve provided personal security as a bodyguard for several A-list celebrities, including Leo DiCaprio. His A-list clients suggested that Steve pursue an acting career. After studying at Manhattan’s HB Studios, he began his acting career with a debut performance on “The Sopranos,” followed by castings in The Replacements and Gangs of New York. While developing his creative skills, acting, and directing opportunities, he witnessed and learned what to do – and what not to do – from everyone around him and took inspiration and guidance from those already at the top.

Sometimes it is necessary to create and drive the immediate environment around you to succeed. Using this mindset-driven methodology, Stanulis launched the Atlantic City International Film Festival in 2009, which was branded “The Sundance of the East Coast.” He also developed and released his film “The Invisible Life of Thomas Lynch,” which won a CMJ Film Festival Audience Award for best film. To further realize his dreams and continue his transformation, he leveraged what he had already learned, stepped out with an idea, took action to realize it, and stayed busy. However, when you step into the spotlight, it brings many risks, such as the risk of working with Kanye West.

Kanye was among the celebrities he worked for, and Steve was West’s bodyguard from 2016 to February 2021 during a particularly controversial period, including his “SNL” meltdown. Stanulis first received extensive press after West accused him of flirting with Kim Kardashian. West threatened him with a massive lawsuit, and Stanulis labeled West a “bully “and threatened a countersuit. Ever had a significant career setback or challenge that was frightening enough to have you alter your course? In Steve’s case, he courageously stood his ground and ultimately prevailed. He never gave up and pursued “leveling up” and his next wave of career accomplishments.

With his bodyguard role in his past, with acting credentials growing and directing opportunities prospering, Steve built on his early successes to explore producing. As a producer, Stanulis produced short films like Dick & Jane, Because of You, and The Invisible Life of Thomas Lynch. Seeing a pattern here? Creating your success by stepping out, trying new things, and putting yourself on the line led to better and better opportunities. After creating Stanulis Films and later on Chaos Production Inc., Steve started to pull in top talent to his productions, including Clinton Road, which he directed and included stars such as Ice T, showing a trend of increasing success and the ability to work with the best.

Throughout his transformation, he involved and included those already part of his network or just a few steps away. With actor, director, producer, and executive producer under his belt – Steve has admitted he enjoys every single role, another secret to success – he saw another great opportunity: Monica. This project was screened and premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Monica stars critically-acclaimed actors Patricia Clarkson and Emily Browning. It is a timely movie about a transgender woman who has an estranged relationship with her mom, who’s sick. He read the script, thought it was amazing, and seized the opportunity to work with such amazing talent. Humble about his involvement, he’s mentioned that he’s just proud to have his name associated with the movie. Another key to success is to see your interim, successfully achieved milestones as a gift and feel genuinely fortunate you’ve achieved them.

When looking at Steve’s journey and seeing his progress through many roles, transitions, career pivots, challenges, and opportunities, we also see his hard work has paid off. From humble beginnings to incredible success – also accepted in humility – he plans never to stop hustling. I feel that bigger and greater things are just around the corner for Steve.